Nonstop flight route between Rapid City, South Dakota, United States and Alghero, Sardinia, Italy:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Ellsworth Air Force Base (RCA), Rapid City, South Dakota, United States and Alghero-Fertilia Airport (AHO), Alghero, Sardinia, Italy would travel a Great Circle distance of 5,197 miles (or 8,364 kilometers).

A Great Circle is the shortest distance between 2 points on a sphere. Because most world maps are flat (but the Earth is round), the route of the shortest distance between 2 points on the Earth will often appear curved when viewed on a flat map, especially for long distances. If you were to simply draw a straight line on a flat map and measure a very long distance, it would likely be much further than if you were to lay a string between those two points on a globe. Because of the large distance between Ellsworth Air Force Base and Alghero-Fertilia Airport, the route shown on this map most likely appears curved because of this reason.

Try it at home! Get a globe and tightly lay a string between Ellsworth Air Force Base and Alghero-Fertilia Airport. You'll see that it will travel the same route of the red line on this map!

Departure Airport Information:

Arrival Airport Information:

Facts about Ellsworth Air Force Base (RCA):

• Ellsworth AFB was established in 1941 as Rapid City Army Air Base.
• In addition to being known as "Ellsworth Air Force Base", another name for RCA is "Ellsworth AFB".
• In March 1944, heavy bomber operational training ended and the 225th Army Air Force Base Unit began training of replacement personnel for deployed heavy bombardment units in the overseas combat theaters.
• In October 1960, Ellsworth entered the "Space Age," with the activation of the 850th Strategic Missile Squadron, initially assigned to the 28 BMW.
• The closest airport to Ellsworth Air Force Base (RCA) is Rapid City Regional Airport (RAP), which is located only 7 miles (11 kilometers) S of RCA.
• Military organizations periodically upgrade manpower and machines from time to time to meet new national security requirements and Ellsworth Air Force Base's organizations were no exception.
• The furthest airport from Ellsworth Air Force Base (RCA) is Sir Gaëtan Duval Airport (RRG), which is located 10,579 miles (17,026 kilometers) away in Rodrigues Island, Mauritius.

Facts about Alghero-Fertilia Airport (AHO):

• The furthest airport from Alghero-Fertilia Airport (AHO) is Chatham Islands (CHT), which is nearly antipodal to Alghero-Fertilia Airport (meaning Alghero-Fertilia Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Chatham Islands), and is located 12,109 miles (19,488 kilometers) away in Waitangi, Chatham Islands, New Zealand.
• Alghero-Fertilia Airport handled 1,518,870 passengers last year.
• The airport can be reached from the city via the Strada Statale 42 and from the rest of the island via the SS 131 Carlo Felice Highway and the SS 291.
• On 23 November 2007 management of the airport was transferred to SO.GE.A.AL.
• 30 March 2009, Alghero Airport became a Ryanair hub, with two aircraft with their crews based there.
• Alghero-Fertilia Airport (AHO) currently has only 1 runway.
• The airport is operated by SO.GE.A.AL.
• The terminal building was recently renovated and expanded with the construction of a new terminal, which allowed the airport to expand the services offered to travelers.
• In addition to being known as "Alghero-Fertilia Airport", another name for AHO is "Aeroporto di Alghero-Fertilia".
• The closest airport to Alghero-Fertilia Airport (AHO) is Olbia Costa Smeralda Airport (OLB), which is located 67 miles (107 kilometers) ENE of AHO.
• Because of Alghero-Fertilia Airport's relatively low elevation of 87 feet, planes can take off or land at Alghero-Fertilia Airport at a lower air speed than at airports located at a higher elevation. This is because the air density is higher closer to sea level than it would otherwise be at higher elevations.